Album Review: Young Turks - 'Where I Rise'

Not even scraping the 10 minute mark, Young Turks' new EP 'Where I Rise' is like a concentrated shot of hardcore punk. With all tracks clocking in between a minute and a half and three minutes, it's the perfect choice for those with not much spare time, or ludicrously short attention spans. As a follow-up to their 2012 full-length, 'Where I Lie', this EP shows a solid progression of sound.

The first track, 'Territo(royally) Pissed' is a furious and aptly named opener that really sets the tone for what's to come. Vocalist Matt Koenig tears through each track with ferocity, his harsh yells fitting perfectly with the ruthless instrumentation.

As the EP progresses you'll find that Young Turks like to stick to what they know. There's not a whole lot of variation to be found, but since it's all over so quickly you'll barely have time to care. And after all, what they do, they do rather well. The relentless aggression feels genuine and real, which lends a lot of power to the music.

There's not much more that can be said of such a short release, only that it's well worth your time. And not a whole lot of it, either. If you have a spare 10 minutes there are much worse ways that you could spend them.

It's also worth noting that the lyrics to the final track, 'Old Gods', are all about the Night's Watch from Game of Thrones. Not because it's relevant in any way, just because it's kind of neat.

If you're looking for a nice quick way to get yourself pumped up, they don't come much quicker than 'Where I Rise'. By the end of it you'll be ready to headbutt a shark in the face. Repeatedly. Young Turks are a promising bunch of guys and you can probably expect to see a lot more of them in the future.

1. Territo(royally) Pissed

2. Zone K

3. Roe vs Wade vs Westbrook

4. Old Gods